The 21st edition of the Rally dei Nuraghi e del Vermentino will take place on 25-26 October, serving as the fifth and penultimate round of the Italian Gravel Rally Championship. The event, which also counts towards the Zone 10 Rally Cup and the ACI Sport Sardinia Delegation Regional Championship, will feature 70 competing crews representing eight different nationalities.
The rally is based in Berchidda and will cover the scenic Gallura and Monte Acuto regions, boasting several national titles. Organizers, Rassinaby Racing, are set to release the entry lists for two additional events: the 6th Rally Vermentino Historicu, part of the Italian Historic Gravel Rally Championship, and the 5th Baja Vermentino – Terre di Gallura, a round of the Italian Cross Country Side-by-Side (SSV) Championship.
The contenders
The modern rally will see 24 Rally2 cars in action, with leaders of the Italian Gravel Rally Championship, Tommaso Ciuffi/Pietro Cigni (Skoda Fabia RS), aiming to widen their points lead. Challenging them will be Umberto Scandola (Skoda Fabia Evo), alongside other top contenders like Alberto Battistolli, Enrico Oldrati, and the experienced Angelo Pucci Grossi. Additionally, Finnish driver Jaakko Lavio (Skoda Fabia Evo) returns to Berchidda, where he debuted in Italy last year, hoping to make an impact.
Local drivers will also be vying for glory, with Nicola Tali, piloting a Skoda Fabia RS, ready to challenge fellow Sardinian Giuseppe Dettori (Skoda Fabia Evo) in what promises to be an exciting Gallura derby. Other notable entrants include Massimiliano Tonso (Toyota Yaris GR Rally2), the Austrian duo Simon Wagner/Gerald Franz Winter (Skoda RS), and several Italian competitors, such as Mattia Scandola, who is back in action after a long hiatus.
In the N5 category, Rigo, Bizzozero, and Da Ros will battle it out, each driving Citroën DS3s. Meanwhile, the Rally3 field will include strong competitors like Fontana/Arnaboldi and local favourite Giuseppe Bitti, along with Tosetto and Uscidda in Ford Fiesta Rally3s.
The Rally4 class will feature a large line-up, with the Slovenians Prosenc/Blaz representing a rare Ford Fiesta among a fleet of Peugeot 208 GT Line cars. Key drivers to watch include Stefano Marrone, Stefano Pudda, and Olbia native Mattia Ricciu, who is in the hunt for the two-wheel drive U25 title following solid performances in the Adriatic and San Marino rounds.
Among the entrants in the RC5n class is the all-female crew of Asia Vidori/Jasmine Manfredi, competing in a Renault Clio Rally5. Thirteen female navigators will also participate, further diversifying the line-up.
The stages
Organized by Rassinaby Racing with the support of the Sardinia Region’s Departments of Tourism, Crafts, Commerce, and Sport, along with ACI Sassari and the Sardinia ACI Sport Delegation, the event will provide spectators with a thrilling display of rallying across multiple disciplines.
The rally kicks off on Friday, 25 October, at 1:30 pm from Piazza del Popolo in Berchidda, which will also host the awards ceremony at 3 pm on Saturday, 26 October. This year’s edition features 76.64 km of timed stages, divided into three distinct stages, each run twice.
Friday’s action begins with shakedown and qualifying, introduced this year as part of new regulations. This section takes place on a revamped stretch of road in the Berchidda area, allowing drivers to fine-tune their setups. Free practice runs from 7:00 am to 8:30 am., followed by the 2.44 km qualifying stage for Rally2 cars at 8:56 am, and shakedown for the other entrants from 10:15 am to 12:00 pm.
The first competitive stage is the new Erula-Tula, a 11.34 km route incorporating parts of the Rally Italia Sardegna WRC stage but with several modifications to improve the surface. Drivers will tackle this stage twice on Friday at 2:13 pm and 4:43 pm, with a regrouping in Tula between runs at 3:00 pm.
Saturday’s itinerary features two key stages, Alà dei Sardi-Buddusò (6.9 km) and *attada-Oschiri (20.08 km), both run twice. The Alà dei Sardi stage touches Monte Lerno, offering a shortened version of last year’s test. The second stage, Pattada-Oschiri, includes sections of the historic Filigosu route, promising challenging terrain. A regrouping at Berchidda’s sports field is scheduled for 11:20 am between the two loops.
The route also includes modifications for Cross Country and SSV competitors, which will remain undisclosed until race day.
This year’s Rally dei Nuraghi e del Vermentino promises an exhilarating showcase of rallying talent, with a diverse line-up of modern, historic, and cross-country competitors ready to tackle the Sardinian dirt roads.